Earl of Pembroke (second creation)

Earl of Pembroke (second creation)
Name	Earl of Pembroke (second creation)
Creation	12th century
Monarch	King Henry I of England
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke (second creation)
Present holder	extinct
Status	extinct

Earl of Pembroke (second creation) The Earl of Pembroke (second creation) was a medieval noble title created in the 12th century under King Henry I of England within the Peerage of England, associated with the Marches of Wales, Norman Conquest legacies, and the succession conflicts culminating in The Anarchy. The title linked magnates involved with Anglo-Norman settlement, feudal obligations to Plantagenet monarchs, and military engagements such as the Battle of Lincoln (1141), the Siege of Pembroke Castle, and diplomatic interactions with King David I of Scotland and Empress Matilda.

Origins and Historical Context

The second creation arose after the redistribution of marcher lordships following the Norman Conquest of England and the administrative reforms of King Henry I of England, reflecting tensions between Marcher Lords, Welsh princes, and royal authority; it intersected with figures like Robert of Bellême, William Marshal, and Roger de Montgomery. The title’s establishment must be seen against the background of succession crises involving Stephen, King of England, Empress Matilda, and the Anglo-Norman aristocracy centered on Pembroke Castle and the earldoms of Shrewsbury and Hereford. The second creation also related to continental politics including ties to Normandy and landholdings connected to Hugh de Kevelioc and the Counts of Poitou.

Holders of the Title

The initial holder of the second creation was Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke (second creation), whose lineage linked to the de Clare family, the de Veres, and alliances with houses such as the FitzGeralds and the Bassett family. Subsequent claimants and associated nobles involved in the title’s lineage included William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke (Strongbow), and contemporaries such as Walter de Liege and Hamo de Crevecoeur, whose feudal contests intersected with magnates like Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester and Richard I of England. Holders frequently appeared in royal charters of King Henry II, King John of England, and King Henry III of England, and were enmeshed in disputes with marcher families including the de Braose and the de Lacy dynasties.

Political and Military Roles

Earls holding the second-creation title performed martial duties in campaigns alongside monarchs such as William II of England, Henry II of England, and John, King of England, engaging in sieges at Pembroke Castle, military actions against Llywelyn the Great, and naval expeditions tied to Anglo-Norman ambitions in Ireland under leaders like Strongbow and Richard de Clare. They administered marcher justice via marcher institutions and participated in royal councils convened by Henry II and the advisory assemblies that preceded the Parliament of England, negotiating with barons including Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester and interacting with ecclesiastical authorities such as Theobald of Bec and Pope Innocent III. The titleholders’ military engagements linked to broader conflicts like the Welsh Wars and the Anglo-Norman interventions in Ireland, intersecting with commanders like Hubert de Burgh and William Marshal.

Landholdings and Estates

Estates attached to the earldom centered on Pembroke Castle, the lordships of Pembrokeshire, and marcher strongholds including Haverfordwest Castle, Manorbier Castle, and holdings in Wales and Southwest England that connected to feudal grants from William the Conqueror and Henry I. Holders managed agricultural demesnes, collected feudal rents from tenants tied to manors such as those recorded in surveys akin to the Pipe Rolls and negotiated land disputes with families like the de Bohuns and the Marshal lineage. Continental possessions and marriages linked the earldom to estates in Normandy and alliances with houses such as the Counts of Anjou and the House of Blois.

Heraldry and Symbols

Heraldic devices associated with earls of the second creation incorporated emblems used by de Clare and de Valence dynasties, adopting charges visible in seals preserved alongside charters of Henry II and funerary monuments in abbeys such as St David's Cathedral and Tintern Abbey. Symbols included common medieval motifs like lions and chequy patterns that aligned with contemporary heralds recording arms during tournaments hosted by patrons such as William Marshal and witnessed by nobles including Ranulf de Blondeville. Ecclesiastical patronage links appear in heraldic sculpture at churches commissioned by families like the de Cantilupe and referenced in chronicles by William of Malmesbury.

Legacy and Influence

The second-creation earldom shaped the political landscape of the Marches of Wales, influencing Anglo-Welsh relations involving rulers like Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and contributing to the marcher precedent absorbed by later institutions under Edward I of England during the Conquest of Wales. Its holders’ marriages connected to dynasties including the Beauchamps and the Mortimers, thereby affecting succession disputes culminating in events such as the Barons' Wars and the evolution of noble patronage networks that intersected with cultural patronage evident in the patronage of chroniclers like Orderic Vitalis and Matthew Paris. The earldom’s castles, seals, and charters remain subjects of study in works on medieval governance, feudal law, and Anglo-Norman aristocracy linked to repositories such as the National Archives (United Kingdom) and regional studies of Pembrokeshire.

Category:Earldoms in the Peerage of England